Nelson Marek 43


Price
AU $135,000 Negotiable
Finance
Pre-Purchase Inspection
Currency
Length
43' 0" - 13.11m
Vessel Location
Osaka, Sailing back to Australia early June '25
Launch Year
1994
Hull Material
Fibreglass/GRP Fiberglass with Kevlar reinforcement and balsa core

Performance Legend "Quest" - Nelson/Marek 43

After a successful two-year campaign to compete in the prestigious 2025 Melbourne to Osaka Yacht Race, Quest - a renowned Nelson Marek 43 - is now proudly offered for sale.

Fresh off her performance in the Osaka Cup where she placed 3rd on handicap and 3rd on line honours, Quest has proven again that she is a true ocean racing contender. She has since departed Japan and made landfall in Mackay, QLD (21 July 2025), and is now available for inspection along the east coast of Australia as she heads south.

Race-Ready and Recent Refit:
Over the past two years, Quest underwent an extensive, methodical overhaul to prepare her for 11,000 miles of non-stop, two-handed offshore racing - to Japan and back. Every system was examined, upgraded, or replaced with Category 1 ocean racing standards in mind. She was fitted out with spares for every conceivable failure point and completed the race campaign without a single failure or breakage.

Set up for short-handed sailing, she is remarkably easy to sail for a boat of her size and power. Her race-ready setup makes her a perfect platform for two-handed bluewater racing, but she also doubles as a highly competitive club racer.

A purpose-built hard dodger, invaluable during the Osaka campaign, offers superb protection at sea and can be removed in under an hour to return her to her sleek, original lines.

Proven Recent Performance (2023-2025):
In the lead-up to the 2025 Osaka Cup, Quest entered all major Victorian offshore races, finishing on the podium in most conditions:

- 2025 Osaka Cup - 3rd on handicap & 3rd line honours (two-handed division)

- 2024 Melbourne to Hobart - 1st two-handed line honours, 3rd overall line honours, 3rd handicap

- Westcoaster Race - flawless Southern Ocean performance, top speed of 25.2 knots in 40 knots of wind

Proven Race History (1995-2022)
Beyond her recent achievements, Quest boasts an outstanding offshore racing legacy:

- 2nd - 1995 Sydney to Hobart

- Winner - 1995 Hamilton Island Race Week & Telstra Cup

- Winner - 1996 Sydney to Mooloolaba & Kenwood Cup

- 4th - 1998 Sydney to Hobart (infamous year)

- Multiple podiums and consistent performance over three decades

Built in 1995 by Nelson Marek Yachts in Rhode Island, USA, Quest is a distinguished 43-foot racer-cruiser designed for performance, endurance, and safety. She remains one of the most competitive and respected yachts in her class.

Summary:
- Meticulously prepared for 11,000nm offshore campaign

- Fully compliant with Category 1 and 2 safety standards

- Designed for short-handed sailing, but equally capable fully crewed

- Recently upgraded systems and spares throughout - too long to list here (ask Helen for a copy)

- Fast, beautiful, and ready to sail today - just restock and go

- Offered for sale solely due to the owners' combined age of 147 years (76 ½ and 70 1/2)

Enquiries & Inspections:
Owner is negotiable on price and delivery location.
Make an offer and step aboard a proven offshore performer.

Contact Helen James:
Bosuns Locker -

DISCLAIMER: Bosuns Locker offers the details of this vessel in good faith but cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. As the vessel is sold "As Is Where Is" Bosuns Locker highly recommends that every potential purchaser inspect or arrange a surveyor or representative on their behalf to inspect the vessel prior to making an offer.


Price
AU $135,000 Negotiable   
Vessel Name
Quest
Boat Reference
S2130
Launch Year
1994
Length
43' 0" - 13.11m
Beam
3.86m
Draft
2.95m
Displacement
6 tonne
Keel / Ballast
Fin keel with bulb and spade rudder
Vessel Location
Osaka, Sailing Back To Australia Early June '25
Region
Asia
Use
Leisure, Cruising, Racing
HIN
Registeredship856204
Registration
R 9090
Designer
Nelson/Marek
Builder
Carroll Marine (USA)
Hull Material
Fibreglass/GRP Fiberglass with Kevlar reinforcement and balsa core
Decks Material
Composite Kevlar
Engine
Engine Yanmar 3JHH2CE (2016) Engine hours 1585 Horse power 39 HP
Engine Make
Yanmar
Number Engines
1
Horsepower
39hp
Fuel Type
Diesel
Engine Hours
1585
Cruise Speed
Approx: 6.5 knot
Propulsion
SD 30 sail drive, 2 blade folding propeller
Fuel
75l fuel tank
Water
Two 100L bladder-style freshwater tanks - New installations. Pressurized cold water system
Dinghy
Small Inflatable
Covers
Removable hard dodger(2023) - Comfort for extended offshore passages, Mainsail boom bag with lazy jacks (2022)
Accommodation
Racing layout
Main saloon, V berth forward, enclosed head and vanity
2 single berths/settee plus 2 pipe berth main cabin
2 single plus two pipe berths aft
Pressure water system to galley and vanity
Toilet
Head Jabsco electric fully enclosed with basin
Entertainment
Fusion radio/Bluetooth sound system
Ground Tackle
2 anchors to Cat 1 rope and chain
Safety Gear
Full safety gear for any race up to category 1 plus: Flares to Cat 1
Lifering with strobe
Safety alert epirb, GPS equipped battery expiry 1/27
SOS inflatable dan buoy (in survey)
Complete first aid kit Cat 1 plus (Melbourne to Osaka
requirement)
20 m SOS marine throw bag
V sheet
Sail numbers
Nexus hand held compass
Jabsco electric head (new)
3 x fire extinguishers
1 fire blanket
Emergency navigation lights
1 electric (auto/manual bilge pump)
2 x manual bilge pumps with roaming hoses
1 boat hook
1 set jack stays
2x tow line
Quell carbon monoxide alarm
Bolt cutters
Bilge Pumps
1 electric (auto/manual bilge pump) 2 x manual bilge pumps with roaming hoses
Life Raft
Six-man liferaft
Electronics / Navigation
VHF Icom IC-MA11
HF Icom IC-M802
Stereo radio/Bluetooth - 2 Fusion speakers
Quell Cardo Monoxide alarm
AIS Send and receive
GME x625 hand held UHF with hard wired cradle
Emergency HF antenna
Emergency VHF antenna with cable
Raymarine EV400 sail aiuto pilot system (new 2025)
Raymarine auto pilot (good working spare)
Raymarine RS 150 GPS system
Raymarine Axicom +12 -12inch MFD (new 2025)
Raymarine remote card reader A80585
Raymarine P705 auto pilot control
3Raymarine Jumbo displays x 3
Raymarine A67, and A70 muilti functional displays
Raymarine linear drive type 2 long
Raymarine linear drive type 2 long (new-unused 2025)
Iridium Go Exec with date hub and exterior antenna
Starlink mini with mounting bracket and power supply
Invertor 10 amps
Spare Raymarine top of mast complete instruments
Spare seatalk cable and connectors
Spare electric cable, connectors and fuses
12volt system incorporating, circuit breakers
House/start/parallel battery switches
170 amp Balmar alternator & serpentine belt
External regulator (programmable)
New 2x200 A/H lithium invicta batteries
New 1x120 AH start battery sealed AGM
New Vitron DC-DC charges
ENC charts loaded to plotter
Navionics charts loaded to MFD
Sail Inventory
New Main black double taffeta 3 reef off shore
North main 3 reef offshore
North main regatta
1 Dacron 3 reef delivery main
New furling headsail
1 No4 jib
1 No 5 jib
1 Staysail
1 Jib top reacher - non stretching luff (needs repair)
1 code zero with furler
2 x 1.5oz symmetrical spinnakers
1 x 0.5oz symmetrical spinnaker
2 c 1.5oz asymmetrical spinnaker
3 new snuffers
1 x Trisail
1 x Storm sail
Mast / Rigging
Masthead sloop. In line fractional alloy mast and boom in good condition. Rig inspection with partial replacement - Completed in 2016. New Profurl furler and forestay - Installed 2023. All running and standing rigging in excellent condition
Deck Gear
New Profurl jib furler (2024),
2xLewmar 3 speed 50's
2 x Lewmar 2 speed 54's ST
2 x Lewmar 2 speed 44's ST
2 Harken 2 speed 46's ST (new 2024)
1 Carbon pole
1 Aluminium whisker pole
2 x spinlock tiller extensions
Multiple sheets and braces, spare halyards
Remarks
Condition: Excellent - race-ready and offshore-capable

CONTACT DETAILS
Dealer
Bosun's Locker
Telephone
Fax
+61 7 5591 6147
Address
Southport Yacht Club Marina
MacArthur Parade
Main Beach QLD Australia
  

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